After 12 years with Banco Santander S.A. and after serving 6 years as Country Head of Santander Puerto Rico, Jose Ramon Gonzalez resigned as President and CEO of Santander BanCorp and of Banco Santander Puerto Rico.
“It was a difficult but well thought out decision. I desired to devote more time to my personal affairs and explore new challenges,” says Gonzalez. “I will not distance myself from the Bank since I will continue to serve on its Board of Directors, serve as advisor to Santander and assist the new president.”
Juan Moreno Blanco will assume the duties of President and Chief Executive Officer of Santander BanCorp and Chief Executive Officer of Banco Santander Puerto Rico as soon as the necessary legal and regulatory procedures are fulfilled. Moreno has a Business Administration degree from the University of Houston. He has been with Santander since 1997, where he has held different positions while making important contributions to areas such as commercial banking, marketing and strategic planning, among others. Before his appointment, Moreno was Director of Business Development for
Santander America’s Division, where he was responsible for the development of new products and for the Wholesale and Institutional Banking Division.
Carlos M. Garcia, the Corporation’s Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, has been appointed the new President and Chief Operating Officer of the Bank, and will also act as interim President and Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation and as interim Chief Executive Officer of the Bank, until Moreno’s non-immigrant visa petition is approved.
In an internal memo to employees, Jesus Zabalza, General Director for Santander’s America’s Division, recognized and thanked Gonzalez for the outstanding contributions he has made to the Bank through the years and emphasized that Santander, with its new leadership, continues to be very committed to Puerto Rico, a country that has been and will continue to be of strategic importance to Santander.